And All Was Well

Every decade or so a book--or in this case, a series of books--comes along that for some reason gains incredible popularity and inspires a generation to read, write and talk about. Harry Potter is that series for my generation. Having read the first book and fallen in love with Harry Potter when J.K. Rowling was still an unknown author, after ten years to see the series come to an end was a bittersweet event. I had grown up with Harry quite literally. As luck would have it I was usually the same age as him as each new book was released. But it's the series' versatility and appeal to all generations that makes it so wonderful.

"Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows" was all of the previous books combined. Curiosity, rule breaking, adventure, magic, trial and error, touching moments and the occasional laugh made this book a whirlwind of emotions for its readers.

In the final book of the series Harry and his closest friends set out to complete the mission Dumbledore had left them in the previous book. If not for Hermione's foresight they would have been very unprepared for their fifteen chapters of camping. As they travel, constantly on the run from the Ministry of Magic and Death Eaters, strains on their relationships with one another begin to threaten not only the task at hand but their friendship as well. As the tale progresses however, love conquers all and brings the trio to the fateful battle for Hogwarts.

Jumping ahead to the epilogue--so as to avoid spoilers for anyone that hasn't quite read the books yet--that's where the book seems to fall apart. While it is nice to find out who marries who, and how many children they had the epilogue itself reads like a piece of fanfiction ending with the phrase "all was well."

Overall, the book is the perfect ending to a series that has inspired many of my generation to read.

I'd read all six of the Harry Potter series long ago, and yet I held off longer still to finally open the covers of the massive final volume in this remarkable series. For young adults, it's said, yet I wonder that just as many adults haven't delved into this magical tale of wizardry and a hero's quest. Who of us doesn't enjoy such grand storytelling of adventure and challenge met? I'd put it off, no doubt, because I didn't really want to be done with it, but curiosity finally reeled me in. J … more

It was with Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Book 4) that I was hooked on Harry Potter, as J. K. Rowling's growing skill as a writer, her growing audience's growing maturity, and her ability to focus on a core of characters we cared about culminated in a series that had lasting power. Deathly Hallows captures "Year 7" and the end of the Hogwarts experience for Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But this will be a year unlike any other! Harry, Ron, and Hermione, now outcasts in … more

***series spoilers below*** After years of preparing ourselves for the fate of boy-wizard Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the series’ final installment, offers enough suspense and surprise to keep us as entertained as its six predecessors. Dumbledore is dead, Death Eaters have overtaken the wizarding world, and Harry leaves number four, Privet Drive for the last time in a dangerous escape that costs the first of many lives. To make matters worse, … more

The last chapter in the Harry Potter book was fast paced, exciting, and held my attention. It also provided closure to the Harry Potter series for me. The reason I love The Deathly Hallows is because it never got boring for me. Page after page there was always something going on, even if it was the death of a few of my favorite characters. I also enjoyed how we got to see and learn more about Lord Voldemort or “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named”. … more

In my opinion, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" was an impressive end to my favorite book series of all time. When I originally read the first Harry Potter book I had my doubts as to whether I would even like the content. After all, it seemed like a book series aimed at children that produced a following of massive proportions and usually I did not want to participate in the thing that appealed so greatly with the masses. However, I was greatly mistaken. I thoroughly … more

I didn't start reading the Harry Potter books until shortly before this book was published. In some ways I consider myself lucky, as I didn't have to wait around to find out what was going to happen; however, I also feel that I had cheated myself by missing out on the whole Harry Potter craze. I had dismissed this wonderful series as being juvenile. I was so incredibly wrong! The last novel of the series, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" … more

What was your emotional reaction as you read? Why? As I read I thought that I felt sad the entire time. To know that this was the end of the series, I was heartbroken that there was not another to look forward to. Who would you recommend this reading to and why? I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who has read the others, or even to anyone who hasn't read any; although I suggest they start with number one. Consider … more

I would recommend this book series. This is the last Harry Potter book, and is full of action. Harry, Ron and Hermione skip their last year of school to go hunting for Horcruxes. Horcruxes are made when you murder, and they are hunting the remaining of the seven Horcruxes of Voldemort. While hunting them, they discover the Hallows. There are three, the resurrection stone, the Elder Wand, and the Invisibility Cloak. The Cloak is already in Harry's possession, and … more

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was published in the United Kingdom by Bloomsbury Publishing, in the United States by Scholastic, in Canada by Raincoast Books, and in Australia and New Zealand by Allen & Unwin. Released globally in ninety-three countries, Deathly Hallows broke sales records as the fastest-selling book ever. It sold 15 million copies in the first twenty-four hours following its release,[1] including more than 11 million in the U.S. and U.K. alone. The previous record, nine million in its first day, had been held by Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.[2] The novel has also been translated into numerous languages, including Ukrainian,[3] Swedish,[4] Polish[5] and Hindi.[6]

Several awards were given to the novel, including the 2008 Colorado Blue Spruce Book Award, and it was listed as a "Best Book for Young Adults" by the American Library Association.[7] Reception to the book was generally positive, although some reviewers found the characters to be repetitive or unchanging. A ...